What is it about Northern cardinals that makes us homo sapiens swoon? Whenever I post a batch of bird photos to Facebook, if there’s a cardinal in the lot, it usually draws the most likes and comments,
The cardinal is the state bird of my native Ohio, and I’ve always known them since I was a kid. The brilliant red males get more attention than the more understated females, but photos of them also get a good reaction.
Cardinals abound in my neck of the woods in central New Jersey, their cheery songs carrying clearly through our neighborhood and virtually every patch of greenery and woods for miles in every direction.
This morning, I had the good fortune to catch the male cardinal shown above, perched on a tree at the Mercer Meadows Pole Farm. I maneuvered without success to get a clear shot without the small branch in front of him, but I’m not disappointed. The bird is beautiful, and the photo captures him and the setting.
Thank you, Mr. Cardinal, for sharing your song and a few moments with me. 🦅
The Jersey Birder 